DIAGNOSIS OF MAGNESIUM AND IRON DEFICIENCY IN GERBERA THROUGH VISUAL SYMPTOMS

SHIVA KUMAR UDAYANA¹*, N.B. MORE², ANAND KUMAR NAOREM^3
1Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil science, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal, 741252, India
²Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Pune, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Maharashtra, 411005, India
³Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil science, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal, 741252, India
* Corresponding Author : shivakumarudayana68@gmail.com

Received : 30-10-2016     Accepted : 04-11-2016     Published : 12-11-2016
Volume : 8     Issue : 55       Pages : 3025 - 3029
Int J Agr Sci 8.55 (2016):3025-3029

Keywords : Gerbera, Iron, Interveinal chlorosis, Magnesium
Academic Editor : Prasad B.V.G.
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : I would like to extend my heartiest thanks to Dr. N.B. More for the guidance and supervision provided during the period of my study. In addition to it, I would also appreciate Mr. Anandkunar Naorem for his valuable help and suggestions in preparing the manuscript.
Author Contribution : None declared

A pot experiment was conducted using Gerbera as a test crop to evaluate the importance of iron (Fe) and magnesium (Mg) in production of Gerbera. The experiment was laid out with 15 treatment combinations including T1(H1 to H5) as control (complete nutrition), T2(H1 to H5)excluding magnesium and T3(H1 to H5) excluding iron, where H1 to H5 represents the days of harvesting at 115, 130, 145, 160 and 175 days after transplanting (DAT) respectively. Development of chlorotic spots started in T2H3 and T3H1, progressing gradually into interveinal chlorosis towards the end of the experiment as compared to control. Root length and the development of color in petals were found to be less in the treatment combinations where certain nutrients were excluded.